Shrink film package and stabilizing device therefor

ABSTRACT

A package stabilizing device includes a main panel disposed in overlying relationship with respect to the tops of a group of articles, a pair of auxiliary panels foldably joined to said main panel along its opposite side edges, and a plurality of apertures formed in the auxiliary panels. The auxiliary panels are folded underneath the main panel to cause the apertures at least partially to envelope the upper ends of the associated articles respectively. End panels may be foldably joined to the end edges of the main panel and secured by web structure at their ends to the adjacent ends of the auxiliary panels and a shrink film overwrap is disposed about the articles and the stabilizing device.

United States Patent 11 1 Chapman SHRINK FILM PACKAGE AND STABILIZING DEVICE THEREFOR [52] US. Cl. 206/65 S, 206/45.33, 206/65 E, 220/108, 229/DIG. 12, 294/872 [51] Int. Cl 865d 65/16, B65d 85/62 [58] Field of Search 206/65 8, 65 E, 65 C, 206/4533; 229/D1G. 12; 220/108, 116, 115; 294/872 [56] References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 10/1952 O'Sullivan ..294/s7.2 l/l964 Cupping ..206/65S [111 3,747,750 1451 July 24,1973

1/1971 Kirbey, Jr. 206/65 S 9/1950 Foster 220/108 [57] ABSTRACT A package stabilizing device includes a main panel disposed in overlying relationship with respect to the tops of a group of articles, a pair of auxiliary panels foldably joined to said main panel along its opposite side-edges, and a plurality of apertures formed. in the auxiliary panels. The auxiliary panels are folded underneath the main panel to cause the apertures at least partially to envelope the upper ends of the associated articles respectively. End panels may be foldably joined to the end edges of the main panel and secured by web structure at their ends to the adjacent ends of the auxiliary panels and a shrink film overwrap is disposed about the articles and the stabilizing device.

7 Claims, 3 Drawing Figures Patanted July 24, 1.3973

FIG. 5 %a% SHRINK FILM PACKAGE AND STABILIZING DEVICE THEREFOR When a shrink film type of overwrap is snugly secured about a group of irregularly shaped articles such as bottles, there is a tendency in some instances for one or more bottles to shift about due to pressure applied by the relatively tight shrink film overwrap. Furthermore sharp edges such as are characteristic of the caps of bottles and the chimes of cans tend to impart substantial stress to the overwrap and thus tend to weaken the entire package. Where lifting panels are disposed within the wrapper and atop one or more of the packaged articles, there is a tendency for such panels and the adjacent portions of the overwrap to bow and hence to impart an element of instability which substantially impairs the security of the package.

According to this invention a stabilizing device is provided which incorporates a main panel arranged in overlying relationship with respect to the tops of a group of packaged articles and a pair of auxiliary panels having apertures therein corresponding to the articles are folded underneath the main panel into an angular relationship therewith to cause the top portions of the articles to be received within the associated apertures. If desired, an end panel may be foldably joined to each end of the main panel and web structure may be used to interconnect the ends of the end panels and the adjacent ends of the auxiliary panels and an overwrap is disposed about the articles and the stabilizing device. Thus the auxiliary panels and if used the end panels incorporate a substantial measure of stability and resistance to bowing when the package is lifted by gripping the main panel either by way of finger gripping apertures or otherwise. Furthermore, the edges of the main panel tend to protect the overwrap disposed about the package against rupture by preventing engagement with the sharp edges of the caps of the articles.

For a better understanding of the invention reference may be had to the following detailed description taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings in which:

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a package formed according to the invention;

FIG. 2 is a plan view of a blank from which the stabilizing device shown in FIG. 1 is formed; and in which FIG. 3 is a sectional view of the package shown in FIG. 1 as taken along the line designated 3-3 in FIG. 1.

In the drawings the numeral 1 designates the main panel of the stabilizing device. A pair of finger-gripping apertures 2 and 3 are formed in main panel 1 and a pair of auxiliary panels 4 and 5 are foldably joined to main panel 1 along its side edges 6 and 7 respectively.

For the purpose of enveloping at least a portion of the top of each of the packaged articles such as the bottles B, a plurality of apertures 7, 9 and 10 are formed within auxiliary panel 4 and similar apertures 11, 12 and 13 are formed within auxiliary panel 5.

For providing lateral stability to the main panel 1, a pair of end panels 14 and 15 are foldably joined respectively to the ends of main panel 1 along fold lines 16 and 17. Preferably these end panels 14 and 15 are held in a generally perpendicular relationship to the main panel 1 when the package is assembled as shown in FIG. 1. Toward this end, anchoring panels 18 and 19 are foldably joined to the end edges of auxiliary panels 4 and 5 respectively along fold lines 20 and 21. Web panels 22 and 23 are foldably joined to anchoring panels 18 and 19 along fold lines 24 and 25. Web panels 22 and 23 are foldably joined to anchoring panels 18 and 19 along fold lines 24 and 25. Web panels 22 and 23 are foldably joined to end panel 14 along fold lines 26 and 27 respectively.

The end panel 15 is identical to end panel 14 and is held in a vertical position by anchoring panels 28, 29 having fold line connections with. the auxiliary panels 4 and 5 as indicated at 30 and 31. Web panels 32 and 33 are foldably joined along fold lines 34 and 35 to anchoring panels 28 and 29 respectively and to end panel 15 along fold lines 36 and 37.

Once the articles such as B are assembled in rectilinear relation with their vertical axes parallel as shown in FIG. 1, the stabilizing device is disposed atop the bottles after the auxiliary panels 4 and 5 are folded downwardly and inwardly to positions of angular relationship underneath main panel 1. This folding operation causes the auxiliary panels 4 and 5 to occupy positions of acute angular relationship with respect to main panel 1 as is best shown in FIG. 3. When so folded the top portions of the articles 8" are partially enveloped within apertures in the auxiliary panels. For example, the cap C1 of article B1 is partially enveloped within the aperture 10 while the cap C2 is partially enveloped within aperture 13 as is apparent from FIG. 3. In like fashion the caps of the remaining; bottles are partially enveloped within the apertures 8, 9, 11 and 12 as is obvious from the drawing.

In order to improve stability of the package during carrying, the edge such as 38 of aperture 10 underlies and grips the lower edge 39 of cap Cl. In like fashion the corresponding edges of all the other apertures underlie the lower edges of the caps of the remaining bottles and thus greatly enhance stability of the package.

Bottle stability is enhanced by the end panels 14 and 15. As shown in FIG. 1, end panel 15 is disposed in perpendicular relationship with respect to the main panel 1 and is held in this position due to the fact that the anchoring panels 28 and 29 are disposed in flat face contacting relationship with the inner surfaces of auxiliary panels 4 and 5 respectively. This action by virtue of the web panels 32 and 33 secures the end panel 15 in a vertical position as shown in FIG. 1. In like fashion end panel 14 is maintained in a vertical position. Obviously the end panels tend to enhance stability of the package laterally and thus tend to prevent bowing about a longitudinal axis when the package is picked up via the finger-gripping apertures 2 and 3.

Longitudinal stability of the package is substantially enhanced due to the auxiliary panels 4 and 5 which, as is obvious, substantially strengthen the main panel 1 against bowing about a transverse axis due to the fact that a substantial vertical component of auxiliary panels 4 and 5 is effective to brace the panel as is obvious particularly from FIG. 3.

After the package is assembled as is shown with the articles B and the stabilizing device in the positions depicted, an overwrap W of suitable material such as shrink film is secured about both the articles and the stabilizing device with apertures formed therein in coincidence with apertures 2 and 3. Since this wrapper normally is maintained in tension so as to hold the articles in a secure and snug relationship with respect to each other and since the tension of the wrapper may tend to rupture the shrinkfilm especially about the packaged corners and in areas where the caps of the bottles may come into sharp contact with the wrapper, it is apparent that the stabilizing device protects the film against such undue contact and stress and in this manner tends to enhance the security and stability of the package.

Instead of using apertures as shown in FIG. 2 and identified by the numerals 8-13, it is within the contemplation of the invention to form U-shaped cuts in panels 4 and 5 and arranged with the prongs of the slits emanating from fold lines 6 and 7 so that a tab integral with panel 1 would be formed in overlying relation to each bottle cap.

The embodiments of the invention in which an exclusive property or privilege is claimed are defined as fol lows:

1. A package comprising a group of at least two articles each having a laterally projecting flange at its upper end and the articles being arranged in side-byside rectilinear relation with their axes generally parallel to each other, a stabilizing device having a main panel disposed in overlying relation with respect to at least two of the articles disposed on opposite sides of the package, a pair of auxiliary panels foldably joined to said main panel along opposite side edges thereof, at least one aperture formed in each of said auxiliary panels and disposed immediately adjacent one of said articles, said auxiliary panels being folded out of the plane of said main panel through angles in excess of ninety degrees into positions underneath said main panel to form an acute angle with respect to said main panel and respectively to envelope portions only of the upper ends of the articles within said apertures, and an overwrap of shrink film disposed about said articles and said stabilizing device.

2. A package according to claim 1 wherein the edge of each of said apertures underlies the laterally projecting flange of the associated article.

3. A package according to claim 1 wherein an end panel is foldably joined to each end edge of said main panel.

4. A package according to claim 1 wherein coincidental finger gripping apertures are formed in said overwrap and in said main panel.

5. A package comprising a group of at least two articles each having a laterally projecting flange at its upper end and the articles being arranged in side-byside rectilinear relation with their axes generally parallel to each other, a stabilizing device having a main panel disposed in overlying and contacting relation with respect to at least two of the articles disposed on opposite sides of the package, a pair of auxiliary panels foldably joined to said main panel along opposite side edges thereof, at least one aperture formed in each of said auxiliary panels and disposed immediately adjacent one of the said articles, said auxiliary panels being folded out of the plane of said main panel through angles in excess of into positions underneath said main panel to form an acute angle with respect to said main panel and respectively to envelope at least portions of the upper ends of the articles within said apertures, an end panel foldably joined to each end edge of said main panel, and collapsible web structure interconnecting each end of each end panel and the adjacent end of one of said auxiliary panels.

6. A package comprising a group of at least two articles each having a laterally projecting flange at its upper end and the articles being arranged in side-byside rectilinear relation with their axes generally parallel to each other, a stabilizing device having a main panel disposed in overlying relation with respect to at least two of the articles disposed on opposite sides of the pacakge, a pair of auxiliary panels foldably joined to said main panel along opposite side edges thereof, at least one aperture formed in each of said auxiliary panels and disposed immediately adjacent one of said articles, said auxiliary panels being folded out of the plane of said main panel through angles in excess of 90 into positions underneath said main panel to form an acute angle with respect to said main panel and respectively to envelope at least portions of the upper ends of the articles within said apertures, and an end panel foldably joined to each end edge of said main panel, each end panel being interconnected with the adjacent end of one of said auxiliary panels by collapsible web structure.

7. A package according to claim 1 wherein each aperture is defined by a generally U-shaped cut formed in each of said auxiliary panels and arranged with the prongs of said U-shaped cuts emanating from the adjacent fold line between said main panel and the associated auxiliary panel to form a tab disposed in overlying relation to the top of the associated article. 

1. A package comprising a group of at least two articles each having a laterally projecting flange at its upper end and the articles being arranged in side-by-side rectilinear relation with their axes generally parallel to each other, a stabilizing device having a main panel disposed in overlying relation with respect to at least two of the articles disposed on opposite sides of the package, a pair of auxiliary panels foldably joined to said main panel along opposite side edges thereof, at least one aperture formed in each of said auxiliary panels and disposed immediately adjacent one of said articles, said auxiliary panels being folded out of the plane of said main panel through angles in excess of ninety degrees into positions underneath said main panel to form an acute angle with respect to said main panel and respectively to envelope portions only of the upper ends of the articles within said apertures, and an overwrap of shrink film disposed about said articles and said stabilizing device.
 2. A package according to claim 1 wherein the edge of each of said apertures underlies the laterally projecting flange of the associated article.
 3. A package according to claim 1 wherein an end panel is foldably joined to each end edge of said main panel.
 4. A package according to claim 1 wherein coincidental finger gripping apertures are formed in said overwrap and in said main panel.
 5. A package comprising a group of at least two articles each having a laterally projecting flange at its upper end and the articles being arranged in side-by-side rectilinear relation with their axes generally parallel to each other, a stabilizing device having a main panel disposed in overlying and contacting relation with respect to at least two of the articles disposed on opposite sides of the package, a pair of auxiliary panels foldably joined to said main panel along opposite side edges thereof, at least one aperture formed in each of said auxiliary panels and disposed immediately adjacent one of the said articles, said auxiliary panels being folded out of the plane of said main panel through angles in excess of 90* into positions underneath said main panel to form an acute angle with respect to said main panel and respectively to envelope at least portions of the upper ends of the articles within said apertures, an end panel foldably joined to each end edge of said main panel, and collapsible web structure interconnecting each end of each end panel and the adjacent end of one of said auxiliary panels.
 6. A package comprising a group of at least two articles each having a laterally projecting flange at its upper end and the articles being arranged in side-by-side rectilinear relation with their axes generally parallel to each other, a stabilizing device having a main panel disposed in overlying relation with respect to at least two of the articles disposed on opposite sides of the pacakge, a pair of auxiliary panels foldably joined to said main panel along Opposite side edges thereof, at least one aperture formed in each of said auxiliary panels and disposed immediately adjacent one of said articles, said auxiliary panels being folded out of the plane of said main panel through angles in excess of 90* into positions underneath said main panel to form an acute angle with respect to said main panel and respectively to envelope at least portions of the upper ends of the articles within said apertures, and an end panel foldably joined to each end edge of said main panel, each end panel being interconnected with the adjacent end of one of said auxiliary panels by collapsible web structure.
 7. A package according to claim 1 wherein each aperture is defined by a generally U-shaped cut formed in each of said auxiliary panels and arranged with the prongs of said U-shaped cuts emanating from the adjacent fold line between said main panel and the associated auxiliary panel to form a tab disposed in overlying relation to the top of the associated article. 